Teamsters Say Shame on Fiat/Chrysler at Italian Consulate

DETROIT, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This morning members of Teamster Carhaul Local 299 assembled outside the Italian Consulate in downtown Detroit to ask Fiat/Chrysler not to kill their good jobs.

Fiat/Chrysler received $14 billion in U.S. taxpayer bailout money that was supposed to help the economy and save jobs, but is now making business changes that endanger over 5,000 good jobs with health benefits.

Fiat/Chrysler is moving work from its longtime new car delivery companies, which may lead to these carriers going out of business and the loss of 5,000 carhaul jobs, even after it took $14 billion in U.S. taxpayer bailout money that was supposed to help the economy and save jobs.

"Fiat/Chrysler is moving work away from the car carrier companies that have delivered its vehicles to dealerships for many years. The loss of this work could put these carriers out of business, leaving thousands without jobs," said Local 299 President Kevin Moore. "This is after many carhaul drivers have already accepted major economic concessions. Some have seen wage cuts up to 17.5 percent."

Outside the Italian Consulate on Griswold Street, Teamster members distributed leaflets to passers-by that called Fiat/Chrysler a global "Bailout Bandit." Overhead an airplane trailed a banner that read, "Fiat/Chrysler: Shame! Vergogna!" Vergogna means "shame on you" in Italian.

"Professional car carrier companies and their workers have made sacrifices to help auto makers in this tough economy," said Teamster Carhaul Division Director Fred Zuckerman. "The small cost savings Fiat/Chrysler might generate by moving work to cut-rate carriers are greatly outweighed by the destruction of a stable carhaul industry and good middle class jobs."